EE unveils ‘connect’ platform for 4G M2M, targets 4m machines by 2017

EE has launched ‘connect’ a 4G Machine to Machine (M2M) service for businesses and public sector organisations.

The network said that there was a huge demand from businesses for M2M products which could be enabled via the network.

Speaking to Mobile at the launch, Jason Bellman, EE’s director of MVNO and national M2M, said: ‘It has been in the pipeline for some time and there is significant demand in the market. We’ve put huge investment into our network and we’ve been speaking to customers who’ve been telling us for a while that they want an M2M proposition with access to the network.’

The operator has significantly invested in its network over the last couple of years, ‘connect’ represents a new way for the operator to make the most of this asset, as Bellman explained: ‘We’ve had a relentless focus on the network side it’s the backbone of our business. We made it a priority a few years ago and kept on going from there.

‘This gives us the opportunity to speak to customers about the connected vision with customers in all scenarios and part of that roadmap is what is happening today. It’s about bringing forward opportunities in the IOT space. Putting together the best M2M platform with the best network. This is about giving M2M player’s access to scenarios for today and of tomorrow, it’s a significant step forward for us which shows a commitment to this part of the market.’

The network has high hopes for the new platform and is setting some big targets for the number of devices that it can get on the network, as Bellman explained: ‘We have the ambition to build 4m by 2017, it’s an aggressive ramp up and it’s part of an aggressive wind up. This platform and proposition gives us the opportunity to drive that.’